


Broken

by BatFics



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Abuse, Abusive Relationships, Blackmail, Bullying, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Hopeful Ending, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Physical Abuse, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-10-23
Packaged: 2019-01-21 16:26:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12461508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BatFics/pseuds/BatFics
Summary: Dick and Wally get together, but the relationship turns abusive.***Requested by Ñumbuh13m.





	Broken

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ñumbuh13m](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=%C3%91umbuh13m).



**_April 7th, Team Year 3_ **

Wally sat on the floor of his room, head rested on the wood of his locked door, and closed his eyes. It didn’t start out like this. He laughed to himself, quietly. It started out really, _really_ good. Amazing, even. Where did it all go wrong?

When he thought about it, all he could think was that Dick must be going through _something_ terrible, and he wanted to help. But Dick wouldn’t talk to him, so the best thing he could do was just live with it, right? Let his best friend—his _boyfriend_ —take out his anger on him? If that was all he could do to help, shouldn’t he endure it? Wasn’t that the loving thing to do?

 

**_June 14th, Team Year 2_ **

“What I’m trying to say is…” Dick searched Wally’s eyes in desperation, wishing the boy could read his mind already. Wishing this wasn’t so damn _scary_. “I like you.”

“Um… I like you to?” said Wally, confusedly.

“No, I mean, I _like_ you.”

Wally stared. Could Dick be saying what he thought he was? The redhead sat up on the couch, staring at his friend in those beautiful, blue eyes. _Please be saying what I think you are_.

When Wally said nothing, Dick shifted uncomfortably. “If it’s awkward then I totally get it, and we can forget about it and never talk about this again, but… you’re funny, and nice, and smart and dorky and lame and my best friend since _forever_. And your eyes are amazing and so is your hair and your face and your freckles and everything about you and I…” he trailed off. “Please say something. Anything, just…”

“Yes.”

Dick furrowed his brow. “What?”

“I mean, I like you too,” said Wally, smiling. “A lot.”

“Are you serious?”

“Of course I am.”

In a second, Dick leaned forward, and Wally’s heart lit up. Feeling the boy’s lips against his own; smelling him, tasting him, touching him... the only word that could possibly describe that moment was _heaven_.

 

**_December 10th, Team Year 2_ **

“Dude, I hate to break it to you, but you’re acting like kind of a _dick_.”

Robin stared. “You didn’t just say that.”

“Yeah, actually, I did. What’s wrong with you? You’ve been acting all kinds of weird, lately.”

“It’s none of your business.”

“Since when? You tell me everything! You always have!”

“Well I’m sick of it!” Dick spat.

This time it was Wally’s turn to look at his boyfriend in disbelief.

“What?”

“Look, I’m sorry, it’s just that I’m tired of you prying into things.”

“I wasn’t trying to.”

“Well try harder.”

 

**_December 20th, Team Year 2_ **

“Why the hell did you ditch on me again?”

Kid Flash cocked his head, looking quizzically at the Boy Wonder, his cape rustling softly in the harsh winter air. He brushed the snow of the sides of his boots, before sitting down on the building’s edge, staring out at the Gotham skyline, which shone, bright and electric in the darkness.

“I was running after a crook. I didn’t think you’d mind. But, hey, I guess I can _not_ chase after the bad guy, next time.”

“You know that’s not what I meant. It’s just… I was surrounded, and you up and left me there. No warning.”

“I thought you had it under control. And, I was _right_. You knocked them out in like a second.”

“Yeah, but what if… what if I hadn’t?”

“Rob,” Wally whispered, scooting closer and placing an arm around the younger boy, “I’m sorry, okay? But how about we forget about it and just enjoy this view? With the snow and everything, it’s kinda romantic up here.”

“You’re not even listening to me! I’m annoyed and all you can think about is making out on a rooftop. _Again_.”

“I thought you liked doing that!”

“Not the point!”

“Then what is?”

“You! Being an imperceptive asshole!”

Wally’s arm dropped from Dick’s side. “Excuse me?”

Dick sighed, rubbing his forehead. “I’m sorry. That was too far.”

“You think? What’s up with you?”

“Just… stuff.”

“Stuff? That’s literally _all_ I get?”

Dick closed his eyes, shaking his head and running hand through his dark hair. “Yeah. It is.”

 

**_February 4th, Team Year 3_ **

Dick leaned into Wally, feeling the boy’s warmth against his own. Feeling the steady in and out of his breathing as he slept. It was strange, being this close Wally. This close to _anyone_. Skin to skin under cotton sheets, gazing through the dimness at the outlines of familiar objects scattered around his room. He pulled the blanket closer around them and smiled. It was strange, but it was wonderful, too. In the comfort of Wally’s arms, in the closeness and the silence, his troubles seemed to dissipate into the farthest reaches of his mind.

 

**_March 9th, Team Year 3_ **

“You can’t tell me what to do whatever you want and expect that to be okay with it! This is a _partnership._ I’m supposed to have a say in things!” yelled Robin, his voice echoing through the Batcave.

“It may be a partnership, but I’m still the leader, and your _guardian_ ,” snapped Bruce, putting on the last of his armor. “You do what _I_ say. And if what I say is _stay out of it_ , then that’s what you do.”

“That is _so_ not fair. This is _Zucco._ We’ve been tracking him for months. _Together_. And what, now that it’s time to face him you’re just gonna leave me at here to… what? Do my homework?”

“I don’t want you anywhere near him. He took your parents from you, Dick. This case is personal to you, and feelings like that only get in the way. I don’t want you doing something you regret.”

“You can’t make that choice for me. This is _my_ fight! Let me take him down.”

“No deal,” said Batman, closing the top of the Batmobile and speeding from the cave in seconds.

 

**_March 10th, Team Year 3_ **

“I can’t believe you! All that talk about us working together and you solved the case without me?”

“Dude, calm down,” said Wally. “I didn’t think—”

“Didn’t think I’d mind? You always say that.”

“Because it’s true. So stop being an jerk and tell me what’s actually bothering you.”

Without thinking, Dick lunged forward, sending his fist into the air.

Wally stumbled back, holding a hand to his jaw. He stared up at Dick, incredulously. “What was that?” he yelled.

“I… I’m sorry,” stuttered Dick. “I don’t know why… I’m sorry.”

 

**_March 31st, Team Year 3_ **

“Yo, Grayson!”

Dick bit his lip, walking faster. He made it to his locker before the boy trailing him caught up, slamming a hand into it as Dick began entering the combination.

“You’re not ignoring me, are you Grayson?”

Dick glanced sidelong at the other boy. “Not at all, Mason,” he replied, the sarcasm evident in his voice. “Why on earth would I do that?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” said Mason. “Maybe because you know your time’s up. Where is it?”

“I told you, I’m not gonna help you cheat,” said Dick, attempting to pull his locker open. It stayed put under the other boy’s weight.

“And I told _you_ that if you didn’t use that dumbass nerd brain of yours to help me pass Pre-Calc, I was gonna beat your face in.”

 

Dick turned to face Mason, a dark glint in his eyes. “You already do that, so… get a new strategy.”

“Don’t push me, rich kid.”

Just then, there was a beep from Dick’s phone. Before he could do anything, it was out of his pocket and in Mason’s free hand.

“Hey, give that back!”

“Chill man, I’m just seeing who’s unpopular enough to text you.” When he clicked the phone on, a smile split his face. He read the message quietly. “Tomorrow is fine. See you then, babe. XO.” He shook his head amazement. “Says it’s from ‘Wally’. Are you dating a guy, Grayson?”

Dick snatched his phone back, shoving it in his pocket. “Look, I said I wouldn’t help you, so just leave me alone.”

“Oh, you don’t get off that easy. Not unless you want the whole school to know about your…” he smirked. “ _Preferences._ ”

Dick gritted his teeth, taking a breath. “Fine. You’ll get it by tomorrow.”

Mason took his hand off Dick’s locker, patting him on the back. “Thanks, bro. I knew I could count on you.”

 

**_April 2nd, Team Year 3_ **

It was little things, at first. After the incident back in March, everything had been… well, pretty nice, except the occasional harsh words here and there, which always seemed to disappear as quickly as they came. But somewhere along the line, Dick started to elbow Wally a little too hard. Shove his shoulder a bit too forcefully when he was in a bad mood. But the bad moods grew, and with them, the actions escalated, until Wally wasn’t sure when the punches had become… _normal_.

The funny part was, it had taken a while for anyone else to notice. When they did, most of them didn’t put it together.

Aunt I would give him a hug when he said he’d had a run-in with come criminal, and would tell him she loved him and make him promise to be more careful.

The Team would look slightly worried, but at Wally’s insistence, would let it slide. Not that Wally didn’t still hear them talking to each other about how something seemed wrong. About how troubling it was that he was so off his game.

And then there was Uncle Barry. Maybe it was because was an adult, or because he had been a crime-fighter for so long. Or maybe it was the fact that he knew Wally better than anyone else. Whatever the case, he knew when the boy was lying, and from the moment he noticed something was up, he watched his nephew like a hawk.

 

“Geez, Kid,” exclaimed Barry, rushing over to Wally as he stepped through the door. “What happened?”

“Huh? Oh. Hero stuff. It’s fine.”

“Hero stuff? I thought you were spending the day at Dick’s house?”

Wally seemed to pause for a fraction of a second, before shaking it off and walking into the living room, Uncle Barry following close behind.

“I did, but there was this gang of muggers on my way home. I saw them getting the jump on some lady in an alley, so, I stepped in.”

“Hmm. Well, Gotham can be a pretty rough place.”

“Yeah,” said Wally, grabbing a cookie off a plate on the coffee table and sitting down. “Guess so.”

“I mean, it must be. You seem to get beat up every time you go there.”

Wally glanced up, warily. “Bad luck, I guess.”

“Uh-uh,” said Barry, sitting beside Wally and picking up a cookie for himself, eating it pensively as he surveyed a dark bruise on the boy’s face.

“They must have a lot of speedsters over there.”

“What?”

“Well, I haven’t met many people who can get one on you. You’re pretty fast. Not to mention well trained. It’s almost as if you _let them_ get the upper hand.”

 

**_April 18th, Team Year 3_ **

Wally looked back and forth between Aqualad and Superboy as they studied him, worriedly.

“What is it you need to tell us?” asked Kaldur.

“It’s about… It’s about Robin.”

“Is Dick okay?” asked Superboy, hurriedly.

“Actually, no. I don’t think so. But that’s not exactly… what I was going to say.”

Behind the three boys, Dick entered the room, watching the conversation, curiously.

“I’ve wanted to tell someone for a while, but I guess I was scared what you would think of him. Or of me.”

“What is it?” said Kaldur. “Has something occurred that we should be aware of?”

“Aware of?” asked Dick, walking up, nonchalantly behind Wally, and putting a hand on Wally’s shoulder. Wally straightened, instinctively. “There’s not anything wrong, is there Walls?”

“Dick! No. Not at all.”

“Okay,” shrugged Dick. “But you’d tell me if there was, right?”

“Of course.”

Superboy studied the exchange carefully, narrowing his eyes.

“Oh hey,” said Dick, “can I see you for a minute, upstairs?”

“...sure,” Wally replied, quietly.

 

As soon as the door of Dick’s room slid shut, he turned on Wally, the anger evident on his face.

“What was that?” he snapped. “Were you telling on me?”

Wally looked his boyfriend in the eyes. He didn’t seem upset, Dick noted. If anything, he appeared to be sad. Tired, maybe.

“There shouldn’t be anything _for_ me to tell,” said Wally. “But there is. And I didn’t know what else to do.”

Dick reached forward, grabbing Wally’s arm and twisting.

“Ahh!” Wally yelled, biting back tears.

“What happened to us sticking together?” asked Dick.

Wally shook his head. “I’m pretty sure that went away the second you started _abusing_ me.”

Dick pulled harder, causing Wally to scream again. “Don’t say that,” he replied, almost frantic.

“Why?” asked Wally, doing his best to ignore the pain. “Can’t stand how it sounds out loud?”

“It’s not like that. None of it is! You have it all wrong,” hissed Dick.

“Then please, enlighten me. What _would_ you call the things you do to me? Because I’ve been thinking, and there’s no good way to describe it.”

Dick let go, stepping back. “I… I never wanted to hurt you.”

“Well you have a funny way of showing it,” spat Wally, rubbing his arm and sitting on the edge of the bed.

“You heal quickly,” whispered Dick. “It’s not like any of this lasts.”

“Does that make it okay?” muttered Wally, staring at the floor.

“I…”

“What I don’t get,” said Wally, raising his voice again, “is how you can hurt me and still pretend you love me.”

“I’m not pretending!” shouted Dick. “I do love you!”

“How can you?” yelled Wally. “Because from where I’m standing, it sure as _hell_ doesn’t look like it.”

Dick faltered, collapsing onto the bed.

“And this doesn’t change anything,” added Wally. “I’m still telling. You can’t stop me.”

“But they’ll make us break up!” pleaded Dick.

“Are you kidding me right now?!”

“No! You can’t just… I _need_ you.”

“Then start acting like someone who gives a shit! Stop with all the violence!”

“I can’t!”

 

There was a long silence. The boys stared at each other, each on the verge of tears.

“Why?” asked Wally, baffled.

“Because if I do,” said Dick, his voice barely audible, “I have to explain it. And even then, things will never be how they were, and… and you might tell someone, or leave, or…” he trailed off. “It’s as if once I started, I had no choice but to keep doing it.”

“So you figure the best thing to do is force me to stay? What do we even have left?” said Wally. “Even if you stop… it doesn’t change what you’ve been doing. And you’re so angry, all the time! And you never talk to me. We could have avoided all of this if you just opened up. Listening to you, helping you through stuff, making you happy… that’s what I was here for.”

Dick wiped a tear of his cheek, roughly. “I just… people keep pushing me around, and…”

“And you wanted to do the same thing to someone else?”

“I’m sorry, Wally. I really am. I can stop, I promise. And I’ll talk to you, and—”

“Babe. I think it’s too late for that… This has to end,” said Wally, standing up.

Dick grabbed his wrist, pulling him back. “Walls, please!”

Wally looked at his hand before glancing back at Dick, who let go, slowly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t...” he stood, too, running a hand through Wally’s hair. “I can’t do it without you,” he whispered, leaning forwards. Wally closed his eyes, letting the kiss wash over him. It was warm and sweet and everything he wanted… He slowed time, making the seconds last as long as he could.

 

When they parted, they both knew. It was Dick who said it first.

“It really is over, isn’t it.”

“Yeah,” replied Wally, brokenly. “But I’m not abandoning you. I never will. We’re still... friends. If you decide to talk to me, I’m here.”

Dick stared, disbelieving. “Are you serious?” he asked.

Wally smiled, slightly. “Of course I am.”

**Author's Note:**

> One of these days, I really need to write something happy and not so twisted... It'll happen. Eventually.


End file.
